By Alex Yomah
Despite claims of sexual harassment against Foreign Affairs Minister-designate, Dee-Maxwell Kemayah, the plenary session of the Liberian senate voted to confirm the nominee in Executive session.
Plenary’s decision followed the Liberian Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs’ recommendation to confirm Minister-designate following what it called thorough scrutiny of the nominee’s credentials.
In the committee’s findings submitted to plenary yesterday, the committee recognized that there is a thin line between the Legislature and the Judicial Branch of Government, and since the Committee takes sexual harassment grave, then, it requires full and detailed investigation.
Headed by Senator Dan Morais, he said the Committee does not have the tools of police investigative agencies to establish a legal merit or demerit of the case.
“The Committee seeks to do what the constitution provides of the legislature to do in such a cease that is to do an administrative hearing. Further to the above, an administrative hearing has been conducted, and finds the nominee fit and suitable in all other aspects that require OUR consent except for allegation of sexual harassment which has been assessed but not conclusive,” the committee’s report said.
Meanwhile, the committee’s understanding of its limitation in adjudicating a judicial matter between two of its citizens, it says, the committee is left with no alternative but to request anyone of the parties to take this matter to court that will give them the appropriate remedy or justice.
The committee noted further that after legal consultation, it was advised not to conduct any hearing by zoom or by way of the internet because the investigation was not a teleconference type.
It can be recalled that the Liberian Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs last week, placed a hold on the confirmation proceeding of Foreign Affairs Minister-designate, Dee-Maxwell Kemayah acknowledging that a sexual harassment allegation is hanging over him which needs to be investigated.
The committee’s decision to halt Amb. Kemayah’s confirmation was triggered by a question posed by Grand Bassa County Senator, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, on the alleged sexual harassment that was recently placed on the social media involving Whynee Cummings Wilson, a female employee of Liberia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, a complaint the committee chairperson, Dan Morais attested to is already before that august body.
According to her, a decision to halt the process was basically to look into a complaint of sexual harassment from a Liberian who is currently in the United States of America; stressing, “I want due diligence; whether or not the nominee was accused falsely before any action.”
The inquiry from the lone female senator who is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee had begun to drift into arguments from her male colleagues when the chairperson took seize of the proceeding and advised that the nominee takes interest in allowing a probe into the alleged sexual harassment scandal levied against him.
Meanwhile, Montserrado County incumbent Senator, Abraham Darious Dillon took an exception to the committee’s report to confirm Ambassador Kemayah despite the grave sexual harassment allegation over the nominee.
Meanwhile, the Senate’s Committee on Banking and Finance for the first time conducted confirmation hearing of Central Bank of Liberia’s Deputy for Operations in secret.
Honorable Nyemadi D. Pearson who has been acting for roughly two years as CBL Deputy for Operations yesterday appeared before Senate’s Committee on Banking and Finance headed by Grand Geded County Senator, Marshall Dennis denied senate’s assigned reporters from government the hearing.
Our assigned reporter said only Senate Press Director, Jarlawah Tonpo and two of its staffers were allowed but all attempt to speak to Mr. Tonpo could not materialize as his whereabouts were unknown on the grounds of the Capitol Building.
According to our reporter, a group of journalists who sought information from the Committee’s Chairperson, Senator Marshall Dennis also failed as the chairperson, in a rather aggrieved mood said, he was not speaking, without even explaining any reason why he could not speak after conducting a major confirmation hearing.
Hon. Pearson who was accompanied by scores of supporters was seen entering one office to another including the Senate Pro-temp Albert Chie’s office. Unconfirmed report had it that she reportedly dished out funds to key members of the committee.
Scores of Liberian journalists who were eager to quiz CBL’s official on the issue of the mutilated money on the market-despite the printing of four billion Liberian dollars brought in the country, and question on what the nominee envisions for the banking sector, could not materialize due to the surreptitious confirmation hearing.